Several area emergency medical services and fire departments have taken part in the Star of Life Challenge, a social media trend making its way from department to department across the country.
The challenge asks crews to use three people’s bodies to form the shape of the Star of Life — the internationally recognized symbol of emergency medical services — and post the photo on social media, tagging the next department to take it up.
Keokuk County Ambulance was nominated by Iowa County EMS Service and accepted the challenge, then passed it along to Mahaska Health Ambulance, University of Iowa AirCare, and What Cheer Volunteer Fire and Rescue. What Cheer in turn challenged the Oskaloosa Fire Department, Barnes City Volunteer Fire, and Deep River Volunteer Fire Department.
Van Buren County Hospital joined after being challenged by Mitchell County Regional Health Center, nominating Jefferson County Health Center and Davis County Hospital to follow. Jefferson County Ambulance, nominated by Henry County Emergency Medical Services, has since challenged Centerville Fire and Rescue to keep the chain going.
The Star of Life’s six points represent the six stages of emergency care: detection, reporting, response, on-scene care, care in transit, and transfer to definitive care.
Jefferson County Ambulance Director Joshua Hemminger said the challenge is a welcome chance for EMS crews to show a lighter side of the profession. “I think the challenge is just a fun way for EMS providers to share pride in this profession and to show that we’re real people,” he said. “As a profession, I don’t think we do a great job of getting out into the community, like the fire service does. And because of that, I think some people still see EMS as either a taxi service to the hospital or the grim reaper in an expensive ride. Neither of those things are true, of course, but we’re not usually out advocating for ourselves or talking about our job. And with the stuff we see on a regular basis, things like this are a good way to step away from the seriousness of the job and just have a little fun. We take those opportunities wherever and whenever we can.”
